Samsung Plans to Launch Bixby Smart Speaker in 2018

We haven’t heard much about the rumored Bixby smart speaker since this summer. In July, it was reported that Samsung may have put the project on hold. But then in August, DJ Koh, the president of the company’s mobile division confirmed to CNBC that a smart speaker was indeed in the works, but did not provide much details, like whether or not Samsung’s voice assistant Bixby would power the device.

An Emphasis on Sound Quality and Home Automation

But now Bloomberg reports that Samsung does plan to a launch a Bixby-enabled smart speaker device sometime in the first half of 2018:

The device by the South Korean technology giant will have a strong focus on audio quality and the management of connected home appliances such as lights and locks, said the people, who asked not to be identified talking about private plans.

Bloomberg also reports that the company is considering a $200 price tag for the device and one prototype in testing is similar is “between the size of the Amazon’s latest Echo and the HomePod” according to a source. The planned smart speaker will not have a screen, although Samsung is also reportedly working on with a touchscreen, like that of the Echo Show.